Any reference or strategy for getting lined up would have to include what I consider the biggest secret in bowling: body alignment. There are some who feel that the armswing is the key to consistency. I’d have to agree that an erratic armswing will cause erratic ball reaction. However, if you have a sweet swing and poor body alignment, that great swing won’t matter much. If you have good body alignment, however, it will help cover up some of the less-than-great execution we all contend with from time to time. Here’s how to build proper body alignment:

• The distance between the sternum (which is in line with the inside of the sliding foot) and the shoulder (the ball) is a distance you can estimate in boards. Let’s say that for you this distance is about seven boards. Choose the arbitrary target of the 2nd arrow.

• Place the inside edge of your left sole on the 17th board. If you are a broader shouldered person than this, you can use the 18th or even the 19th board. Line up with the inside edge of your sliding foot since that’s the part of your body the ball is beside at delivery. If you line up with the center of your foot, you are giving up a board or two of information (the distance from the middle to the inside edge) – not a good idea. For the purposes of this chapter, we’ll assume you line up with the inside of your slide foot. This inside edge will cover the starting board, in this case, 17. The heel splits the board so that the foot is parallel with the boards.

• The placement of the left heel is important since the sole of the foot is wider than the heel. If the heel covers the right edge of the board, the body is now slightly closed and you’ll probably throw the ball to the left. If the inside edge of the heel is on the left edge of the board (which would put the heel on 18), your intention is to throw to the right. These subtle adjustments with the heel are an advanced technique you can use later but which should not be used for the purposes of this exercise. The graphic is a foot position that indicates you intend to throw the ball down-the-boards (in the same direction as the boards).

• Move the entire left foot so that the inside edge of the sole is halfway between the 17th and 18th board. This is the 17 1/2 board. Very slightly move the entire foot back to the right so that the foot is halfway between the 17 board and 17 1/2 board. This is 17 1/4.

• This is how precise you must be in where you stand so that you do not have to be so precise on the lane. You can never be sloppy or indifferent about where you stand. This is not to encourage nor promote the use of 1/4 board moves but merely to point out that pretty close isn’t good enough when it comes to a starting position.

You can never be sloppy or indifferent about how you line up.

• Once the starting position has been determined, always slide your left foot into that position. This check of the sliding sole is because you want to know now if you have stepped in anything or if there is any impediment on the bottom of the shoe. Finding out at the foul line is a very bad idea indeed. This also becomes part of a calming pre-shot routine. Building these habits now will really pay off in the future.

• Vanishing Point is a physical phenomenon.This means that if, for example, you are looking at railroad tracks (two parallel lines), they will appear to converge in the distance. In bowling, this translates to the appearance that the lane is narrower at the pin deck than it is at the foul line. This means that the farther down the lane you look, the more inside your target appears to be.

Here’s what I mean. Make sure your feet are on 17 in the same attitude you would have them if you were really ready to bowl. Look at the 10th board at the arrows. Without moving your eyes, decide where the 2nd arrow meets your upper body. (Not where you know it is; where you feel it is.) It will most likely feel like it aligns with your body about halfway between the sternum and the bowling shoulder.

Now look at the 2nd dot at the foul line (that same 10th board) and feel where that intersects your body. It will be further toward your shoulder. Now look straight down beside your right foot at the 10th board. It’s outside your shoulder. What a revelation! Most people are quite shocked by this. When I show this to people on the lanes, their jaw usually drops. They look back and forth from the arrow to beside their foot, they follow the 10th board with their eyes to be sure I’m not making it up. They felt like they were standing on top of the target and cannot believe it is actually outside their shoulder.

• There are many different perceptions and optical illusions we sometimes have to deal with in bowling. Look how small the arrows look from where you’re standing; yet you know they are 6″ long. To really see this, go to the foul line. Put your sliding foot on the 20th board and your trailing leg behind and about 45° left of your body as in a good finish position. Be sure this placement clears the hip out of the way of your bowling arm. This won’t work (and neither will your bowling) if your trailing leg is straight behind you or tucked up underneath you. Look at the 2nd arrow, swinging your arm back and forth several times. You’ll find the arrow is outside of your shoulder and you’ll feel like in order to hit it, you would have to throw the ball out to the right. If you assume the same position on the 17th board, you’ll feel the 2nd arrow is right in line with your shoulder (the ball.) Now remember, if you are broad-shouldered, 20 might work for you and in order to feel the difference at the foul line that I am referencing here, you would have to take a look from 23.

Even if you feel you’re standing on top of your target in the stance, you’ll be perfectly lined up by the time you get to the foul line. This means that you have to deny your perception in the stance and accept the reality at the foul line. You’ll get used to it and since it is so critical to body alignment, you’ll love your accuracy once you do.